Lady Gaga definitely was headed for stardom at an early age. She learned how to play piano by ear by the time she was four and was performing publicly by the age of fourteen. She is part of an exclusive group of students who were admitted early to NYU’s prestigious music program.

Growing up in Manhattan, She dove deep into the New York music scene and was eventually hired to write songs for acts like Britney Spears and the Pussy Cat Dolls. It was actually the rap artist Akon who realized that that she could actually sing. He gave her a contract which seemed to be the springboard for her career. Since then she has had top ten dance singles and was nominated for a Grammy Award for her song “Just Dance”.

Its obvious that we have only seen the beginning of this young electric diva – and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. So what does a young street smart songstress choose when she is looking for a watch? If you look closely she is wearing a Maranello V8, a new enigmatic watch brand from Bienne Switzerland.

Nice Choice Gaga – It definitely matches your Flava!

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The individual looking for a fashionable and finely detailed luxury watch would surely be impressed by the Chopard Two O Ten Chrono XL.  Whether in finely polished stainless steel or 18K gold, the [tagChopard[/tag] Two O Ten watch possesses a serious degree of “wrist presence” and a plethora of intricate nuances that keep interest strong.

Timepieces like this with a so-called TV-screen form are not seen too often, and they make a distinctive statement.  With the Chopard Two O Ten Chrono XL watch, this striking form is brought to its best advantage by some excellent case finishing (a virtue shared by all Chopard creations).  This superb finishing in concert with an alligator strap gives the Two O Ten Chrono XL a somewhat dressy quality, but the versatility is there for a broad range of attire thanks to the sharp black dial with bold luminous figures, and a sports-inspired tachymeter bezel.  Should you instead prefer your bezel entirely set with magnificent baguette diamonds, Chopard can grant your wish on certain haute joaillerie models in 18-karat gold.

I very much like that a self-winding mechanical movement ticks inside this very stylish Chopard watch, rather than something battery-powered.  While the importance of a COSC chronometer certificate is sometimes overblown, the fact that the Two O Ten Chrono XL uses a mechanical caliber which has undergone and passed the 15-day test is an added technical attraction–a small one though it may be.

Obviously, we’re big fans of Chopard around here. Classic beauty, innovative design, and unmatched quality all comes together to make Chopard diamond jewelry the stuff of dreams.  It turns out that we’re in good company in our fandom as Chopard jewelry has graced the winning women of the Oscars for years.

Last night was no exception – in fact, it was a gleaming example of just how winning Chopard is at the Oscars.  Both best actress winner Kate Winslet and best supporting actress winner Penelope Cruz chose to wear Chopard jewelry at the awards ceremony last night.  Classic diamond elegance was the theme for these women, and their impeccable style echoes a popular sentiment that diamonds are so much more than fashion.

The state of our economy has been a talking point throughout this year’s round of awards ceremonies.  The effect of this attention showed early on in the season as celebrities chose overwhelmingly to dress and adorn themselves in more conservative styles.

As the attendees of the 2009 Oscar’s seemed to relax into the new landscape of celebrity fashion, we saw a slightly changed tableau.  What emerged and solidified last night was a resolve on the part of Hollywood’s elite towards meaningful glamour.

What struck me was that as we are entering a new era of responsibility, Hollywood has a duty to entertain us, challenge us, and embody our collective dreams. Watching our celebrities assume this position, the timeless beauty of Chopard jewelry shown clearly as the jewelry choice of our dream makers.

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When Omega debuted the De Ville Hour Vision watch in 2007, I felt a certain degree of quiet delight.  While the introduction of the George Daniels-designed Co-Axial escapement in 1999 was a big Omega headliner in its own right, the Hour Vision timepiece with its in-house 8500 movement took things to an entirely new level.  Suddenly, Omega had gloriously return to its noble heritage as a manufacture watchmaker–and one obsessed with top-level chronometric precision, at that.  I was possessed with a sudden urge to dust off the old books on Omega and get reacquainted with the rich and colorful history of the brand that the Brandt family founded in the 19th century.

The Omega De Ville Hour Vision watch is a fantastic total package.  To showcase their new in-house movement, Omega went to the considerable length to develop a remarkable case holding an inner sapphire “vault”; this inner sapphire case, which demanded some extraordinary techniques to manufacture with the requisite precision– enables you to look in from the sides as well as the back!  The dial is one of the finest Omega has ever produced, past or present–it has a lot of retro charm, yet shows off some very fine minutiae; take note of the rakish date window, and the brushed 18-karat gold hour markers and hands with their exacting bevels.  The leather strap and deployant buckle looks superb on the Hour Vision watch, but the complex bracelet is a real work of art that really compliments the unique sapphire case.

Omega’s De Ville Hour Vision timepiece is also an outstanding value, considering how many exclusive watchmaking treats it offers the buyer.  The price of this watch (particularly in its steel variants) is very fair in relation to the horological quality it demonstrates.  The Omega Hour Vision watch serves up the kind of exclusive quality you usually find only in the haute horlogerie category–but at a price point that is in the “mid-range” for fine timepieces.

Perhaps it’s mostly because of Grosse Point Blank, but I count myself as a Minnie Driver fan.  She’s cute, hillarious, and always manages to bring unique chemistry to the films she acts in.  When I saw the latest press release picture from Gurhan featuring Ms Driver wearing one of their ruby bangle bracelets, I was pleased.

It may be a reflection of the odd relationship we have to celebrity culture, but it’s somehow satisfying for me to find that a celebrity I admire has good taste.  Gurhan is one of my absolute favorite jewelry brands, not only for the richness of their 24k gold designs, but also for the depth of culture that is reflected in the brand.

The ressurection of ancient jewelry craft techniques and tools combined with the integration of actual artifacts lends story and mystique to Gurhan’s jewelry creations.  This, along with the sheer glamor of Gurhan jewelry is what sets the brand apart from other gold jewelry designers.

Furthermore, it’s these elusive qualities which to me, make Gurhan jewelry such an essential luxury purchase.  In difficult times, people demand a high level of value in the purchases that they make.  Gurhan jewelry is timeless and gorgeous.  And if you need any more convicing, just remember that Minnie Driver likes it!

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The Star Nicolas Rieussec Monopusher Chronograph watch was Montblanc sensation at SIHH 2008. It amply demonstrated that the brand was prepared to enter the prestigious “Manufacture” realm, and aside from this was a superb example of how watchmaking history could be used to create an impressive luxury timepiece.  One year later, the distinctive character of the Montblanc Star Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph gains a new dimension, courtesy of a tastefully executed skeleton dial that gives a glimpse into the in-house mechanism.

For those who may not be familiar with it, the Montblanc Star Nicolas Rieussec Monopusher Chronograph watch displays elapsed chronograph time via discs that turn beneath fixed hands; this is unlike the typical chronograph watch, in which small hands move over a stationary dial.  Montblanc took creative inspiration for the Star Nicolas from the concept of the chronograph as first invented in the 19th century–and named the watch in honor of its inventor, Nicolas Rieussec.  Unlike Monsieur Rieussec’s original “time writer” however, you won’t find any ink in this watch!

Those seeking fine detail–-an unspoken necessity on any timepiece in the luxury category–-would certainly be delighted with the Montblanc Star Nicolas Rieussec Monopusher Chronograph watch in any form.  However, the new Star Nicolas Rieussec Monopusher Chronograph Open Date model gives an impressive Montblanc timepiece even more visual appeal.

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The JeanRichard Paramount watch collection has always struck me as among the most stylish of contemporary rectangular timepiece “families”.  Less formal than the distantly related Girard-Perregaux 1945 watches (Girard-Perregaux and JeanRichard are sibling companies within the Sowind Group), the finely brushed finish and distinctively shaped lugs of the Paramount case make for a timepiece that can compliment any attire from casual to full-on dress.  Exciting news for 2009 is the introduction by JeanRichard of a tourbillon watch, with–naturally enough–the firm’s signature vertically-oriented linear power reserve indicator.

I love the look this complicated white gold JeanRichard timepiece exudes; it’s very luxurious, yet extremely modern–even youthful (in the good sense of the word).  There’s a feast of great details to admire, from the applied plate with “Cotes de Geneve” which displays the power reserve, to the quirky but extremely attractive pink gold tourbillon bridge with its distinctive angled shape and flawless finishing.  The driving force is the Sowind 99201 caliber–a hand-wound mechanical movement that has the prestigious distinction of being manufactured in-house.

The extent to which JeanRichard has developed as both a brand and a serious watch manufacture over the last several years is most impressive to me–it’s certainly no mere “little sister” to Girard-Perregaux, as you occasionally heard once upon a time.  It is models such as the Paramount Tourbillon Linear Power Reserve watch which keep JeanRichard on the fast track to lasting success with the most demanding enthusiasts.

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